August 25th – September 1st

(7 Nights & 8 Days)

Day 1: We will depart from Columbia, SC (CIE) & fly to Los Angeles this morning to meet our guide, who joins us for the week. Our city tour today includes Venice Canal, Beverly Hills, Rodeo Drive, Getty Center and Santa Monica Beach. We will check into our Los Angeles hotel (2 nights) in the late afternoon. You will have some time to relax, before dinner @ a local restaurant. (D)

Day 2: After breakfast, we depart for our Warner Brothers Studio Tour. You will get to experience one the busiest studios in LA as you explore the backlots and see one of many soundstages where today’s popular TV shows and movies are made. Then we venture over to Griffith Park Observatory to enjoy the spectacular views of Los Angeles and the Hollywood Sign. A great photo Op! Lunch will be on your own in historic Olvera Street. You will enjoy browsing along the tree shaded, brick-lined block with dozens of craft shops, restaurants and several historic buildings. This afternoon, the city tour includes Downtown Los Angeles, Disney Concert Hall, Little Tokyo, Hollywood & Walk of Fameand The Grove/Farmers Market. (CB)

Day 3: This morning we will tour The Ronald ReaganPresidential Library, final resting place of our 40th President, perched on a mountaintop with great views of the valleys , mountains & the Pacific Ocean. Get a personal glimpse into his life from childhood, careers, marriage & the Presidency of the United States. This afternoon, you will tour Santa Barbara including Santa Barbara Mission (photo op) which was founded by the Spanish Franciscans & continues to be the chief cultural & historic landmark to the community with beautifully landscaped gardens. Visit The Courthouse, a historic Spanish-Moorish structure was built in 1929. See Sterns Wharf, the oldest working wood wharf in California. In the late afternoon, have a walking tour of Solvang & afterwards enjoy a Danish themed dinner. (CB, D)

Day 4: We will depart for the California Coast tour. We will tour Carmel & Point Lobos this morning. Nature lovers come from around the world to Point Lobos to see the massive rocks, the crashing waves, hike the scenic trails and see the majestic trees. This afternoon, relax as we travel the 17-Mile Drive and enjoy the scenic road through Pebble Beach and Pacific Grove on the Monterey Peninsula in California, much of which includes the Pacific coastline passing famous gold courses, mansions, the Lone Cypress, Bird Rock & more. We will tour Monterey in the late afternoon. (CB, L)

Day 5: Yosemite is our destination today. Lunch will be on your own in Oakhurst. After lunch, we will visit Mariposa Grove to see the massive, ancient Sequoia trees. The square-mile Mariposa Grove has 500 mature giant Sequoias to admire, some almost 3,000 years old whose base measures 96 feet. A tour of Yosemite Valley is included this afternoon. (CB)

Day 6: You will be amazed @ the beauty of Glacier Point, looking down in the valley & seeing Half Dome. After the tour, we will depart for San Francisco after lunch. We will check into our hotel for a 2 night stay. After dinner, we will have a short walking tour of Union Square. (CB, L)

Day 7: This morning, you will step back in time & experience Alcatraz, the legendary island that was a Civil War fort, a military prison and one of the most notorious federal penitentiaries in US history. You will tour the Cellhouse, hear the stories of life inside from real prisoners, see the solitary confinement cells and hear stories from the officers who lived & worked on the Island. This will be an unforgettable tour. After the tour we will visit Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39 for a tour. Lunch will be on your own in Fisherman’s Wharf. This afternoon, enjoy the San Francisco City Tour including the Golden Gate Bridge, Golden Gate Park, TwinPeaks, Civic Center, Lombard Street, North Beach and Chinatown. Dinner will be @ a local restaurant. The San Francisco evening tour includes Treasure Island, Embarcadero and Cable Car. (CB, D)

Day 8: We say goodbye to San Francisco this morning as our private transfer takes us to the airport for our journey home. We’ll always remember the beautiful sights & our unforgettable adventures in California!(CB)